


The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go

by Triangulum



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Healing, Kira was done dirty, Kira-centric, M/M, Multi, Oral Sex, Post-skinwalker trauma, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-16 18:48:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16500779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Triangulum/pseuds/Triangulum
Summary: Kira's phone is long dead when the skinwalkers declare she's in control enough to be let go, though they don't make it easy for her. She crawls out of the sand pit they'd dragged her into, panting and desperate. Her skin is raw, dirt caked under her nails, and even though her legs are shaking with exhaustion, she runs, putting as much distance as she can between them and her.OrWhen Kira comes back from New Mexico, its Derek, Stiles,  and Allison who bundle her up and take her away for some well-deserved healing.





	The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to all three of you that will be interested in reading this random pairing! This has been sitting in my drafts for a while and I wanted to wrap it up and get it posted. The title is a quote by John Muir.
> 
> Inspired by [this post.](http://hotpinklizard.tumblr.com/post/172897364810/this-makes-me-think-of-kira-having-spent-so-much)

Kira's phone is long dead when the skinwalkers declare she's in control enough to be let go, though they don't make it easy for her. She crawls out of the sand pit they'd dragged her into, panting and desperate. Her skin is raw, dirt caked under her nails, and even though her legs are shaking with exhaustion, she runs, putting as much distance as she can between them and her. 

She hitch hikes her way to the nearest town so she can call her mom and dad from a small diner. It's an awkward conversation; her dad is livid with her mom for taking her to the skinwalkers in the first place, and Kira isn't too thrilled with her either, so she spends most of the call talking to him. He calls the local motel, making arrangements for her to stay until he gets there the next day to pick her up and take her home. Home is apparently San Francisco now. Kira isn't surprised they didn't stay in Beacon Hills, though she is disappointed. She's disappointed about a lot of things. 

When she's holed up in her motel room that night, after spending over an hour in the shower scrubbing her skin until the water no longer ran brown with dirt, she reads the stack of magazines and newspapers she'd taken from the motel lobby. The dates on the tops startle her. It's been a year and eight months since she'd gone with them. She'd turned eighteen three months ago and hadn't even known. 

She likes San Francisco, and she doesn't. She likes being with her family again (her dad had hugged her for a solid five minutes before bundling her into the car and whisking her out of the tiny town), even though her feelings toward her mom are mixed at the moment (to say that least). She likes not being in the desert, and the city itself is fun, but she finds herself hating the heat. It's not summer, but there's enough of a heatwave that it almost feels like it. It's too similar to the skinwalkers' sand pit in New Mexico. She thinks her dad knows. He keeps their house at a cool sixty-five degrees, but he can't control the heat when she has to go outside.

Neither her mom nor her dad want her to go back to Beacon Hills, not with all the hell that's happened there. But Kira needs to see her friends, and Scott, if only to tell them she's all right. That doesn't seem like something you do over text. Her dad understands and hands her to keys to his car, making her promise to be careful. Her mom...is less understanding.

"We just got you back!" Noshiko says.

"And whose fault is that?" Kira snaps. Her fox might be in control now, but her anger is close to the surface these days. She's not sure what to do about that.

"I did what I had to do," Noshiko says.

"You've been alive over nine hundred years," Kira says. "What makes you think random skinwalkers would know more about kitsune than an actual kitsune that's almost a thousand years old?"

"It worked," Noshiko implores. "You're in control. I did what I had to do."

"You didn't do enough!" Kira shouts. "You didn't do enough for me! You didn't try hard enough to help me! If aging like a kitsune makes you that ambivalent to your family, I don't want anything to do with it."

Kira leaves that afternoon, packing a small bag with enough to get by for a few days. She doesn't want to stay long, because her parents are at least right that the town holds unpleasant memories, but she has friends there and they balance the bad pretty well. 

Scott is dating Malia now and that...is unexpected. It hurts more than she'd like to admit, even though she knows he doesn't owe her anything. She told him not to wait for her, that he doesn't have to pine over the girl when he has no idea if and when she's coming back. But still, from what she gathers, he didn't wait long to move on and that chafes. If anything, she'd expected him to end up with Allison again, because that seemed like one fire that would never burn out, but Allison and Stiles are together now and that's a level of partner swapping that gives her a headache to think about.

She sees Scott long enough to get an uncomfortable hug and to retrieve her tail from him (dusty from sitting on his bookshelf, behind a few SAT prep workbooks), give Malia an awkward wave, before she flees, a sympathetic Melissa making her take a bag full of food. She stops by Derek's loft, not really expecting him to be there, but is surprised when he opens the door. He looks good, softer and more at ease. 

She's startled enough that she isn't sure what to say, but he doesn't seem to need her to. He tugs her into a tight hug, so much better than what she'd shared with Scott, and for the first time since driving into Beacon Hills, she feels like she can breathe.

When Derek pulls away, he takes her gently by the hand and tugs her into the loft. She's surprised to see Stiles and Allison on the couch in the middle of what serves as Derek's living room. They both visibly brighten when they see it's her, and Stiles is off the couch in a second, followed closely by Allison. Stiles yanks her into a fierce hug, Allison doing the same as soon as Stiles lets go, and it's all Kira can do not to cry.

Kira can tell that Stiles is bursting to ask questions, but he keeps himself in check, surprisingly enough. Instead, he helps Derek grab drinks and snacks while Allison pauses the movie they have playing. The three of them together in one place is odd...Kira knows about the Argents' history with the Hales, so to have Allison relaxed in Derek's home, and Derek fine with her being there, is a bit bizarre to her. But Derek seems more at peace in general, so whatever works for him, she's happy that he has.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you guys, because I totally am, but I really wasn't expecting you to be here," Kira says.

Allison laughs and Stiles shrugs. 

"We meet up a few times a week. Our own little supernatural trauma survivors support group," Derek says a little wryly. 

"Mostly it's us eating all of Derek's food and abusing his cable," Stiles says. 

"But it helps," Allison says. "It makes you feel less alone, you know?"

"Yeah," Kira says, swallowing hard. Her mind flashes to the skinwalkers. Supernatural trauma sounds about right.

"You're welcome to join us," Derek says.

"I'm not staying long," Kira says. 

"That's fine, Skype exists," Stiles says. "We still have movie nights and stuff during the school year when we're at college."

"Oh," Kira says. That doesn't sound too bad, actually. Even a connection over the internet is something. "Is it just you guys?"

"Yeah, Scott and Malia kind of do their own thing, and Isaac hangs out with them more times than not," Allison says. 

"He didn't take rejection well," Stiles stage whispers, nodding exaggeratedly at Allison. Allison rolls her eyes, but doesn't disagree.

That sounds doable. If Scott and Malia were involved, she's not sure how comfortable she'd be. She harbors them no ill will and wants them to be happy...but it's still awkward and she feels entirely too raw to want to deal with any of that.

"Where are you going to go?" Derek asks.

"Back to San Francisco, I guess," Kira says with a shrug. "That's where my parents moved."

"I know," Derek says. "But where do _you_ want to go?"

"Somewhere cold," Kira says, without thinking. "Somewhere without sand." None of them need her to explain.

"We can make that happen," Derek says. 

Kira shakes her head. "I need to finish my degree, and I don't have money to - "

"We can make it happen," Derek says, interrupting her. He doesn't look like he's going to accept her excuses. 

Glancing at Allison and Stiles, she sees the same determined look in their eyes. She just shrugs, not sure what else to do, and lets Stiles shove cookies at her, lets Allison bundle her into her side, lets Derek rest his hand on her arm, drawing out the aches she still carries. Allison turns the movie back on and Kira lets herself relax. She's bracketed in between Derek and Allison, Stiles at Allison's other side, and she lets herself breathe.

Kira sleeps at Derek's that night because he refuses to let her go to a hotel. He makes up a guest bedroom, windows thrown wide open to let in the cool breeze. She hugs him tightly, unable to articulate why it means so much to her, before collapsing into bed. She's still exhausted, even though it's been over a week since she made it out of New Mexico. It's a bone-deep weariness that she doesn't know how to escape.

The next morning, after a fitful night's sleep filled with nightmares, Derek's waiting in the kitchen with a plate of blueberry pancakes. The fact that he remembered her favorite absolutely doesn't make her tear up, nope, not at all. She's halfway through her second helping (she's pleased her appetite is finally coming back), when Derek slides a set of keys across the table. She frowns, swallowing her bite before taking the keys in her hand.

"What're these to?" she asks.

"A cabin in Colorado," Derek says. "It was my family's. I spent a lot of time there on what Stiles called my 'wolf soul-finding mission'."

"You don't have to," Kira says.

"I know I don't have to. I want to," Derek says. "Trust me. I know what it is to need to have some time away to figure things out." Kira swallows hard and nods. Yeah, he would. 

"I still have to finish school," Kira says. 

"Stiles is making a list of online completion programs," Derek says. Kira blinks in surprise, making Derek smirk. "Did you really expect anything else from him?"

"I don't know what I expected," Kira says. "To be shown the door, maybe? I mean, I jump started the nogitsune, giving it the power to possess him and almost kill Allison. He should probably want me as far away from him as possible."

"I need you to listen to me on this," Derek says seriously. "He's going to tell you this, and Allison is going to tell you this, and I know it's going to be hard to listen to and believe, but no one blames you for that. The nogitsune existing isn't your fault, just like being possessed wasn't Stiles'."

"But it exists because of my mom. If she hadn't - " But Derek is already shaking his head.

"I'm not in the habit of punishing daughters for the sins of their mothers," Derek says. He hands a credit card to her, wrapping her fingers around it and holding her hand closed. "Take the time you need. You more than deserve it."

To her horror, her eyes start welling with tears. Derek just walks around the table and hugs her tightly. She's not a huge fan of crying in anyone's arms, but Derek is safe, and she supposes if it has to be anyone, he's not a bad choice.

Derek takes her out shopping after breakfast, replacing her worn backpack with something hardier, making sure she has warm clothes for the snow and stocking her up on food for the road, like he knows she doesn't want to dawdle around Beacon Hills. 

She stays at the loft again that night, after another dinner with Stiles and Allison over. They eat leftover Chinese food on Derek's couch and watch M*A*S*H reruns. It's light and easy, with no charged awkwardness that comes from trying to eat dinner with her parents. She goes to bed before Stiles and Allison leave, not quite ready to say goodbye to them yet.

It turns out she doesn't have to because when she wakes up the next morning (to French toast this time), Stiles and Allison are already there. Allison looks bright and chipper, but Stiles is yawning, clutching his thermos of coffee like it's the only thing keeping him tethered to consciousness. Kira raises her eyebrows.

"Uh, what's going on?" she asks.

"Oh good, you're up," Allison says. She picks up a Starbucks cup from the table and hands it to Kira. It smells like a chai tea latte, and Kira could kiss her. "We figured we should get an early start, cover as much ground as possible."

"What?" Kira asks.

"Allison is absolutely taking first shift driving," Stiles says, trying and failing to suppress a yawn. "Being wide awake in the morning is one of her superpowers."

"That doesn't really answer my question," Kira says.

"Oh, Stiles and I are going with you," Allison says. "The all-wheel drive in my Subaru actually works, so we're taking my car instead of Stiles'."

"Rude," Stiles grumbles.

"I...but my dad's car..." Kira stutters.

"Derek's driving it back to San Francisco tonight and will rent a car for the way back," Stiles says.

When Kira looks to Derek for confirmation, he nods easily, like driving hours out of his way just for her doesn't bother him in the slightest. 

"You don't have to," Kira says, though it pains her to say it. The thought of having them with her, of having people who aren't her parents or skinwalkers with her day and night...it has its appeal. "I can do this alone."

"We know you can," Stiles says. "But who says you have to?"

Kira swallows hard and tries to remind herself that she should protest more. She should tell them she's fine, that she doesn't need them to come and interrupt their lives, drop everything, to come hold her hand through what is sure to be an epic mental breakdown. She should tell them to go. She doesn't.

They all hug Derek before they leave, and Kira doesn't know if she's imagining that the hugs he shares with Allison and Stiles goes on a little longer than is strictly platonic. Not her place to question whatever goes on with them, though, and she says nothing. Derek hugs her just as long, strong arms holding her tightly against his firm body. She gets the overwhelming feeling of safety around him, always has, and it's hard for her to want to pull away. 

When Derek finally lets go, arms slowly falling away, it's with a kiss to her temple and him demanding that she call if she needs anything at all. She gives him a watery smile and nods.

Stiles calls shotgun, but after a withering look from Allison, graciously gives it up for Kira with a flourish and a bow. Kira smiles and she climbs into the front seat of Allison's blue Crosstrek, a bottle of water and a can of Pringles in her lap. Stiles had declared that if they were doing a road trip, they were doing it right, and added to the hoard of snacks Kira and Derek had bought the day before. They have more beef jerky than Kira knows what to do with, but Stiles immediately opens up a bag and starts munching before they even pull out of Derek's driveway.

"He's like this at the movies, too," Allison tells Kira. "Not so good with the art of waiting. All the popcorn is always gone before the previews are even over."

"Hey, I leave you some!" Stiles protests, leaning up between the seats.

"Unpopped kernels don't count. And put your seat belt on," Allison says, pushing him back with a hand over his face.

Kira can't help but laugh. It feels foreign and rough in her throat, like she's rusty to amusement, so much so that it actually startles her. Allison notices, because Allison is just like that. She doesn't comment on it, just reaches over and takes Kira's hand in hers, squeezing tightly. She doesn't let go until she needs to turn the corner. 

It takes about ten minutes on the freeway for Stiles to get bored, and Kira isn't surprised at all. He starts with the license plate game, then counts red cars, then tries to enlist them all in the alphabet game. Allison glances over at her a few times, like she's worried Stiles is going to get overwhelming and obnoxious. In the past, maybe he would have, but Kira's just so grateful to hear voices that aren't the skinwalkers' that it doesn't matter to her at all. It's actually nice to keep up with Stiles' inane chatter. It's nice to have someone to keep up with in the first place.

Even though she's been back nearly two weeks, there's still a lot that's happened since she'd been gone that she needs to catch up on, and not just in her friends' lives. There's a new president, and isn't that just a heart attack for her. She didn't particularly care about the celebrities that got married or divorced, but it was nice of Stiles to tell her so at least she has some reference in mind if someone brings it up. He has a stack of movies in his backpack that he insists are essential for her to see, and that makes her want to hug him, too.

"Are we driving straight there?" Kira asks a few hours into the drive. Stiles is dozing in the backseat, but Kira is hopped up on the energy drink they'd stopped for a half hour ago.

"Nah, that'd be like eighteen hours of driving," Allison says. "We're gonna spread it out over a couple of days. And before you say anything about paying for the hotel room, we got it covered."

"Allison..."

"No, really, we do. I told my dad what we were doing and he gave us hotel money so we don't sleep in the car on the side of the road or something," Allison says. "He also made me promise not to pick up hitch hikers, though I told him if they were hot, no promises."

Kira laughs, letting her head fall back against the seat. She'd only spoken to Allison's dad a few times, and while Mr. Argent had seemed very intense, he was still nice to her. Much nicer than she expected an ex-hunter to be to a kitsune. 

Stiles takes over driving after four hours, and Allison hits him in the back of the head when he suggests the license plate game again. They make it to Battle Mountain, Nevada after about eight hours and decide to call it a day. They find the least sketchy motel that they can then walk across the street to the small diner. 

The diner is run down, with faded formica tables and ripped seat upholstery. It also smells heavenly. Their waitress, a cheery woman named Chanel, brings them water, tells them about the specials, and gives them a few minutes to decide before coming back to take their order. Kira gets a burger and a milkshake, because isn't that what you're supposed to do in all American diners on a road trip? God, she's missed food that she didn't have to hunt for herself in the desert. 

That night, curled in her slightly questionable bed, she can't help but feel like she's intruding. Stiles and Allison are talking quietly in the bed next to her, occasionally laughing softly. She smiles slightly, glad that the stressed and unhappy friends she'd left behind were able to find something good, but still...she doesn't want to hear what happens when those sheets start rustling.

"If you guys start fooling around, I'm sleeping in the hall," Kira warns.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't do that with you in the room," Allison says.

"Unless you were into it," Stiles says with a wink.

Kira flushes, can't help it. She knows he's kidding (probably?) but the idea of that still sends a little rush of arousal through her. She looks away quickly, avoiding Allison's knowing eyes. She rolls over, burying her face in her pillow to avoid any questions.

Kira takes the first shift driving the next day, despite Stiles and Allison telling her she doesn't have to. She calmly, but very pointedly, tells them she isn't an invalid and is more than capable of driving. They look appropriately chastised and don't ask again. She needs friends right now, not babysitters.

There's a stretch of Utah that looks a bit too much like the New Mexico desert for her taste, so Stiles takes over driving for the last few hours until they pull into Wellington, Utah for the night. He doesn't make a big deal about it, but he does rest his hand on hers where it's sitting on her thigh. She glances at Allison, but she just smiles back, not caring at all. Kira curls her fingers into Stiles' and revels in someone touching her that isn't harsh.

It's not the prettiest hotel in Wellington, but Kira's reasonably sure there aren't bed bugs. She and Stiles leave Allison to check in while they grab their bags and meet her in the lobby. She hands each of them a key and takes her bag from Stiles with a thank you before leading them to the elevator and to their room.

"They only had a king bed left," Allison says as they walk in.

"Oh," Kira says, eyeing the lumpy green couch. "That's fine, I've slept on couches before."

"No, I can take the couch," Stiles says. "That's the chivalrous thing to do, right?"

"It's a king-size bed and none of us are large," Allison says with an eye roll. "We'll all fit just fine."

"Hey, I'm broad!" Stiles says.

"Yeah, in the shoulders."

"Still!"

"So sleep on your side," Allison says.

And that seems to be settled then.

Kira never understands why she's exhausted after road trips. She's been sitting all day, she shouldn't be as tired as she is, but she's asleep almost as soon as her head hits the pillow, Allison in the middle between her and Stiles.

It doesn't seem long at all before Stiles' phone is beeping, his alarm waking them up. He grumbles, hitting snooze before collapsing back to the mattress with a huff. There's a groan from behind her and it takes Kira an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize that Allison is pressed against her back, arm wrapped around her waist. 

Kira tenses. She doesn't want either of them to think she's trying to come between them, as much as being between them sounds phenomenal right now. She can admit that to herself, that she's starting to nurse a crush on both of them. Before she can slip out of bed though, Allison's arm tightens around her.

"Five more minutes," she says, nuzzling into Kira's hair. 

"But Stiles - "

"Also needs five more minutes," Stiles' sleepy voice says. 

Kira startles when she feels his hand on her hip, his arm spread over Allison so he can touch both of them. Kira doesn't know what it means, but she knows she's still tired and it doesn't feel like she's mucking up their relationship, so she relaxes into the mattress, content with where she is.

Stiles' alarm goes off again five minutes later, waking her from her light doze. Stiles' fingers twitch on her hip and he curses under his breath. Allison snorts a laugh and squeezes Kira tightly before unwrapping herself and sitting up.

"I'll take the first shower, you lazy ass," Allison says, sliding out of bed.

Stiles mumbles his thanks and rolls into the warm spot she'd vacated, wrapping his arms around Kira and tugging her to his chest.

"Still not a morning person?" she teases.

"Oh my god, why are you talking when we could be sleeping?" Stiles mumbles into the back of her neck, his breath warm on her skin. Kira can't help but laugh, and smiles when she can feel his answering grin against her skin.

Allison takes the first turn driving that morning and it's only four and a half hours until they hit Vail, and two more after that until they're in the small town of Phantom Lake, the last stop before Derek's cabin. There's a light dusting of snow on the ground, nothing Allison's Crosstrek can't handle. They stop for groceries and toilet paper, the bare essentials, before getting back in the car. It's another half hour of following Derek's scribbled directions before they're driving down the long and winding driveway that says "Hale" at the entrance.

"Derek said 'cabin', right?" Stiles says, leaning between Kira and Allison's seats to look at the huge house in front of them. "Because that's not a cabin. That's a step away from a mansion."

"Well...it's got a log facade?" Allison says.

"Doesn't make it a log cabin," Stiles says, shaking his head. "Derek, I swear..."

Kira agrees with Stiles, personally. The inside is a little stale and dusty from not having anyone there for so long, but it's gorgeous and luxurious. The kitchen huge, big enough for a werewolf family, and the same goes for the living room. The furniture is fancy, but comfortable. It looks lived in, not at all like a home just for show.

There are four bedrooms, all fully furnished, and it makes Kira ache a little. There's no good way to say, 'Hey, mind if I sleep with you two since the nightmares are better when you're here?', at least not without revealing that she's developing a ridiculous crush on her friends. She sets her bag in the room across the hall from the master, where she's sure Stiles and Allison will set up camp. It's not as close to them as she'd like, but at least it's nearby and on the same floor. 

Kira sends off a text to Derek to let him know they made it, then heads downstairs to make something to eat. She doesn't feel like dealing with anything more complicated than mac and cheese, so she pulls out a pan, doubles the recipe, and gets started on late lunch/early dinner. 

They eat ravenously, the first time they've had a home cooked meal (and Kira uses that term lightly for boxed mac and cheese) since they hit the road. Kira's still exhausted, pretty sure her body has been running on fumes since she got back, and she excuses herself for bed as soon as the dishes are done. 

It's easier than she thought it'd be to fall asleep with Allison and Stiles awake, hearing them softly talking and moving around the living room. She knows Allison will make sure everything is locked up tight, knows Stiles will seal everything with protective runes. Nothing is getting in without their knowledge, and that makes it nearly effortless to drift off.

Kira wakes only a few hours later, heart racing, arms up to deflect against an attack before she realizes she's awake, that the dream has faded away. She's in a room in Derek's 'cabin', not the desert. She has on a tank top and pajama pants with fried chicken on them, not the scratching, sand-covered shifts she'd been provided in New Mexico. There are no new aches and bruises, no blood and pain.

A glance at her phone shows her the time (4:11 a.m.) and a goodnight text from Derek, responding to her when she'd messaged him earlier. Knowing she won't be able to get back to sleep, Kira pulls herself from bed, shrugging into an oversized sweatshirt Derek had slipped into her bag. It smells like him enough that Kira's pretty sure it came from his closet. She huddles it close, burying her nose in the collar before venturing out of her room, intending on making a cup of hot chocolate.

To her surprise, there's the soft noise of TV coming from the living room and when she rounds the corner, she sees Allison sitting on the couch, Red Dwarf playing quietly. She looks up and smiles softly when she hears the floorboard creak under Kira's steps.

"Did I wake you up?" she asks quietly. 

"No," Kira says. "Couldn't sleep."

Allison nods sympathetically, but doesn't ask. She probably knows. Instead, she pats the couch cushion next to her and Kira barely hesitates before crossing the room to sit next to her.

"Why are you up?" Kira asks. 

"Stiles doesn't like to be held after nightmares," Allison says. "He went for a walk and it'd feel weird going to bed when he's still out there."

"He went for a walk in the woods at night by himself?" Kira asks, surprised.

"Oh, he's more than a match for anything out there," Allison says. "He's been honing the magic he has and I've been teaching him about weapons more elegant than a baseball hat. He's fine."

"Oh," Kira says. It makes sense when she thinks about it. Her mom had even said once that Stiles has 'great potential for many things, most of them violent'.

"It helps him unwind," Allison says.

Kira nods. She gets it. They sit in silence for a while, watching Lister and the Cat run around the ship. Kira starts listing a bit to the side on their second episode, eyelids fluttering shut. Allison doesn't say anything, but tugs her down until she's lying on the couch, her head in Allison's lap. Allison curls her fingers through Kira's hair, scritching at her scalp before running her fingers through the tresses.

"It's too long," Kira says sleepily. 

"Hmm?"

"My hair. Split ends, desert damaged. Gross," she says. Full sentences seem to be escaping her. 

"I can cut it later if you want," Allison offers.

Kira nods and lets herself drift off, the sounds of Kryten and Rimmer talking in the background, with Allison's capable hands running through her hair. 

She doesn't dream, though the sounds of Red Dwarf trickle through her mind once in a while. She stirs briefly when she hears Stiles come back through the screen door, talking softly with Allison. He lifts her feet from the end of the couch before sitting, pulling her feet into his lap. She lets herself fall back asleep with him rubbing long, dexterous fingers over her ankles and feet.

When Kira wakes for good, it's because the sun shining through the front windows is hitting her right in the eyes. She groans, rolling on the couch, only to realize Stiles is still by her feet. She squints her eyes open to see him reading, one hand resting on her ankles that are still in his lap.

"Morning," he says, looking over at her. "Allison is out for a run (heathen, I swear), then we're gonna make brunch. Sound good?"

"Yeah," Kira says, voice scratchy. She reluctantly tugs her feet from Stiles' grip so she can sit up cross legged on the couch. "Though you and brunch are two words I never associated."

"Hey, I love a good brunch!" Stiles says. "It's breakfast food _and_ I don't have to get up at 6:00 a.m. to have it."

Kira laughs. "Okay, point."

Kira desperately needs a shower, so she leaves Stiles to read while she scopes out the frankly ridiculous bathroom. Apparently the Hales weren't fans of subtlety, because the entire bathroom is done in expensive marble and high end finishes. This is supposed to be a woodsy cabin, for fuck's sake. She isn't complaining, though, not when the rainfall shower head is by far the best thing she's ever experienced.

As much as she'd love to linger under the spray of hot water (god, she's missed being clean), food is calling her name, so she finishes and dresses quickly, making her way to the kitchen. Stiles is already pulling food out of the fridge, setting out ingredients for omelettes and French toast. 

"Allison is in the other shower," Stiles says. "Feel like manning the griddle?"

"Sure," Kira says.

French toast is easy, but it's still one of her favorite foods. She could make this in her sleep and doesn't bother using a measuring cup when she adds the flour (to give it a little pouffiness) or the few drops of vanilla to the egg mixture. She dips the bread and sets it on the griddle, smiling a bit at the sizzle. 

Allison emerges, hair damp from the shower, wearing nothing but shorts and a sports bra. Kira blushes and averts her eyes, figuring it's not polite to ogle one of your good friends. Her eyes catch on the tattoo on Allison's side as she walks by, though. She rests her hands on Kira's waist as she slides behind her to get to the fridge and Kira's eyes follow the ink.

It's a stylized quote, something in French that Kira would have no idea how to say, thanks to taking Spanish instead, with a bow, arrows, and a swirled design she can't quite make out.

"It's her family's new code," Stiles says, making Kira jump. Of course he'd seen where she was looking. He doesn't look angry though, merely amused. "She changed it, turned over a new hunting leaf and all that."

"Nous protégèons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger eux-mêmes," Allison says, the words flowing off her tongue like honey.

"That's beautiful," Kira says.

"It means 'We protect those who cannot protect themselves," Allison says. 

Kira doesn't ask if that includes her, not sure if she'd like the answer no matter what Allison said. 

They're just wrapping up brunch, Stiles finishing a truly impressive stack of French toast, when they hear a car pull up the driveway. Kira looks up in alarm, but Stiles and Allison don't seem surprised. When they catch sight of her panicked face, they both look confused, before comprehension dawns on Allison's face.

"You didn't tell her?" she asks Stiles, flicking his arm.

"I forgot!" Stiles says. "The lure of breakfast food was strong!"

"You and bacon," Allison grumbles before turning to Kira. "It's just Derek. He called while you were asleep and said he was on his way up."

"Oh," Kira says surprised. "Uh, why?"

"Softie wolf misses us," Stiles says, grinning.

Kira grins and gets up, heading to the door to ask Derek if he needs help carrying anything. Stupid, he's stronger than she'll ever be, but it's polite, damn it, and it feels good to be around people to be polite to again. She pulls open the door to see Derek on the other side, hand out like he'd been about to grab the door handle. 

Derek looks good, his beard a little scruffy from a couple days of driving, but his eyes are bright, crinkled at the corners from his grin. Kira smiles back and launches herself at him. She vaguely registers him dropping his duffel bag with a thunk to catch her, and she hopes there wasn't anything breakable inside, but then his arms are around her and he's hugging her tightly, lips pressed against her temple. 

She feels small in his arms, his body is just so much broader than hers, and he has at least six inches on her in height. Usually, she isn't a big fan of feeling tiny. There are just too many things that dangerous, bigger people are able to do that she used to be unable to fight against. She's stronger now though, capable in a way she never had been before. Even if she weren't, there's a safety in being enveloped by Derek, knowing without a doubt that he would never hurt her. 

"Hey," he says softly, breath tickling her ear. He presses a kiss to her temple and sets her down. She reluctantly unwinds her arms from around him and lets him pick up his bag.

"I'd have saved you French toast if I'd known you were coming," Kira says apologetically, leading him back inside. 

Allison and Stiles are cleaning up the kitchen table and both wave at him, smiling. There's syrup at the corner of Stiles' mouth and Allison licks it, making Stiles laugh. Derek waves back, looking fond, and Kira wonders, not for the first time, if there's something going on between the three of them.

"Don't worry, I ate on the way," Derek says. 

"Awesome, we were about to go on a hike," Stiles says.

"What's this 'we' business?" Kira says, eyebrows raised.

"Well, me and Allison," Stiles says.

"You are, no offense, the last person I would ever expect to want to go hiking," Kira says. Derek snorts, settling his duffel bag down and sitting next to her at the kitchen table.

"Normally, you would be 100% correct," Stiles says. "But Allison isn't above bribery, and I'm not above accepting it."

"You're welcome to join us," Allison says. "I have no problem bribing you, too."

"You couldn't afford my prices," Kira says. 

Allison smirks at her, trailing her eyes over Kira's body.

"We could work something out," she says.

Before Kira can ask what the hell _that_ means, Allison and Stiles are disappearing into their room to get dressed for their hike. Count Kira out. She has no desire to get hot and sweaty climbing a mountain, only to have to climb all the way down again when you get to the top. She'll take her laziness, thanks. She does shove two water bottles in their hands on the way out the door, telling them to stay hydrated and not fall into any ravines.

"Okay, Dad," Stiles teases, kissing her on the cheek as he walks by. Allison just smiles and pokes Kira's nose, following Stiles out. 

"Ridiculous, both of them," Kira says, but she knows she looks fond.

"Well, you're not wrong there," Derek says. He's lying on the couch, looking at her contemplatively. 

"You sure you don't want to go with them?" Kira asks. "Communing with nature seems right up your wolf's alley."

"I'd rather be here. You're here," Derek says simply, with a shrug. Kira's eyes widen and yeah, she has no idea what to say to that. Derek doesn't let her flounder, just rolls fluidly to his feet, cracking his neck. "What'd you want to do today?"

"I don't know," she says honestly. "I really hadn't thought that far ahead. I just...I wanted..."

"Just wanted to get away," Derek says softly. Kira looks up at him and nods. Derek hums, thinking for a moment, then says, "Have you tried the hot tub yet? It helped me a lot when I was trying to relax and get in better touch with my wolf. Would that be too much heat, or is it different since it's not hot weather?"

Kira stares at him. "Your cabin has a _hot tub_? Oh my god, by the way, this isn't even a cabin. This is a mansion. You have a mansion in the woods," she says.

Derek laughs and shrugs. "My parents were particular about what they liked," he says. "Is that a no?"

"Hell no, that's not a no, you have a hot tub in the mountains! This is going to be gorgeous!" Kira says. 

She hadn't thought to bring a swimsuit on her mountain getaway but apparently Allison had, so Kira changes into the string bikini, something a little smaller than she'd usually wear but she's not particularly worried about it. Certain human customs, like being shy of their bodies, don't make sense to her anymore, so being seen in a barely there swimsuit doesn't really bother her. There aren't a whole lot of things that bother her anymore.

Derek offers to let her have time by herself if that's what she needs, tells her he's fine to stay in the living room and read. Kira shakes her head.

"I don't like to be alone," Kira says simply, like it isn't embarrassing to admit that she's afraid that if she's alone for too long, one of _them_ will show up and drag her back to the desert, saying they were wrong, she has more to do.

Derek's eyes go soft, though they're never full of pity, and he nods. 

There aren't many people she trusts in this world anymore. Not her mom, not after all she'd done. Not really her dad, not when he hadn't gone against her mother, hadn't fought her more. Not Scott, with his careless disregard for the tail she'd left with him, and the way he'd so easily moved on with Malia, her friend, as if Kira had never disappeared.

She trusts Stiles and Allison, though she still feels like she's on rocky grounds, like any second they're going to realize she isn't worth this time and effort and disappear back to their normal lives.

She trusts Derek completely and without reservations. Derek who has been kind to her from the moment he met her. Derek who was willing to go to bat for her against the murder twins. Derek who helped her find out more about what she is when her mother wasn't willing to give her more information. Derek who gave her a safe place to sleep, and sent her to his family's cabin, far away from everyone she wants to avoid.

The hot tub is made of smooth stone, nothing like the chunky Whirpool they'd had at an old house when she was growing up, and set on the house's back porch, overlooking the wooded valley below. There's an overhang over the porch so the softly falling snow isn't hitting the deck, but it's still cold. Kira loves it.

Kira drops her robe on the chair next to the hot tub, smiling slightly as the bite of cold against her skin, the way goosebumps rise immediately, and slips into the hot water. She sighs in contentment, eyes slipping shut, letting it ease her tense muscles. The wet heat of the water is different than the heat of California. It doesn't bother her, doesn't remind her the arid New Mexico desert. 

There's the soft sound of water being disturbed and Kira opens her eyes slightly to see Derek sliding into the water across from her. She knows he's beautiful, hard thing not to notice, but knowing and having it hit her like this are two different things. He's not ridiculously cut in the way that says he spends too much time counting calories and eating nothing but spinach and quinoa, but he's strong, the kind of strong that comes from constant hard work, his muscles playing under his skin as he moves.

Kira looks away, not needing to be caught staring. The low key crush she has on him is growing, which is even more ridiculous when she considers she's now harboring ones on Stiles and Allison, as well. She's a fucking mess.

The hot water contrasted with the cool air on her face feels incredible, two warring sensations flowing through her. She sighs and closes her eyes, pushing aside thoughts of inappropriate crushes in favor of savoring the moment. She lets her legs float out in front of her, carried by  
the gentle jets. She only startles a bit when her feet bump against Derek. She doesn't open her eyes until she goes to draw them back, only for Derek to gently take her ankles in his large hands, positioning them on his thigh.

Kira slits open her eyes to see him watching her intently. She's about to ask what he's doing, but then he digs his thumb into the arch of her foot and all she can do is let her eyes fall shut again, groaning in pleasure.

"I don't even care that you're being smug," Kira says, head leaned back. "You earned it."

Derek chuckles softly but doesn't stop, massaging her feet and ankles, up her calves until she's drifting peacefully in the water, warm and content, cold air nipping at her face. When he's done, he keeps her ankles in his hands, her feet resting in his lap. She doesn't try to take them back.

They've been in long enough for her fingertips to get pruny when Kira finally speaks. "I kinda thought you had a thing with Stiles and Allison," she admits, opening her eyes to look at him. He's gorgeous, framed by the snow-covered trees behind him.

"Sometimes I do," Derek says with a shrug.

Kira's jaw drops, her brain grinding to a halt because yeah, probably the hottest thing she's ever thought about. Derek tightens his hands on her ankles, like he's worried she's going to pull away.

"You...really?" she asks.

"Yeah," Derek says. "I'm not exactly dating them, but we're something. We haven't actually gotten around to putting a title on it yet." 

He says it likes it's the simplest thing in the world, like having sex with two of his closest friends is nothing to be awkward about. Maybe it isn't, Kira doesn't know. She's only had sex with people she was dating before. 

"Does that bother you?" Derek asks.

"No!" Kira says."No, of course it doesn't, you're all adults, you can do what you want."

Derek hums and starts rubbing her calves again. His face looks calm, though his brows are slightly furrowed contemplatively. 

"Is it something you would be interested in?" he asks finally. Kira's jaw drops again. "You can say no, Kira," Derek says quickly. "Us staying here with you isn't contingent on you sleeping with us. It's just an option that's open to you."

"Me...and all of you?" she asks slowly.

"I know for a fact that Stiles and Allison are interested," Derek says with a small smirk. He taps his nose. "Even if they hadn't told me, there are some things that you can't hide."

Kira flushes a bit. That probably means he can smell just how interested she is in him.

"And how, uh, how exactly would it work?" she asks, fiddling with the strings on the hips of her bikini.

"However we want it to," Derek says. "If you're interested in just sex, that's fine. If you're interested in more, well, we'd be happy to discuss that, too."

"I think, uh," Kira says, swallowing hard. _Nothing to be nervous about, you survived skinwalkers, damn it!_ "I think I like the sound of the second option."

Derek's hands tighten on her calves as a genuine grin spreads across his face. "I do, too," he says.

Derek gently tugs Kira's leg and she pushes off the hot tub wall, floating through the water toward him. He reels her in by the hips as she straddles his lap, knees barely resting on the bench on either side of his thick thighs. She's slightly taller than him like this, though not by much, looking down at him with wide eyes, biting at her bottom lip.

Derek looks up at her calmly, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He runs his hands up down her thighs, caressing her soft skin, speeding her heart rate. She knows it's okay if she flies apart here, if she falls, because Derek will happily catch her. She dips her head down, pressing her lips against his.

The last person Kira kissed was Scott. He was excitable and eager, like a happy puppy. Derek is all confidence and skill. He kisses her like he knows how, like a preview of things to come. His hand twists in her wet hair, resting at the nape of her neck. She's vaguely aware of the way she's suddenly freezing from the chest up from being slightly out of the water, the contrast stark between her chilled skin and his hot hand, but it's not even close to her focus right now. 

She presses against him, kissing him back with as much passion as she can. Her hard nipples brush against his chest, making her gasp. Derek takes advantage, slipping his tongue into her mouth, making her moan in his grip. She's never been kissed like this, by someone who knows how, someone who's trying their hardest to make sure she enjoys it.

Kira pulls back, gasping for air. A shiver runs through her, and not just from excitement; the cold is really seeping into her now. Derek notices and frowns slightly. He gently shifts her off of his lap, tucking her into his side so the water can warm her. She burrows against him, his arm warm and heavy around her.

"You freezing to death would really put a damper on our time up here," Derek says wryly.

Kira snorts and giggles, the sound foreign to her ears enough that it startles her for a moment.

"I'm hardier than that," Kira says. "Apparently kitsune biology is like that. Not as much as a werewolf's, but still I have some protection."

"I'll take your word for it. I only knows the basics about kitsunes," Derek says apologetically. 

"Same here," Kira says. "My mom isn't exactly open and honest with her information. Even if she were, I'm not talking to her right now." Kira frowns, a thought coming to her. "She wasn't horrible to you when you brought back my dad's car, was she?"

"No, I didn't see her," Derek assures her, rubbing his thumb over her shoulder. "I gave the keys to your dad and promised I'd keep you safe."

Kira blushes at that, hiding her face in his shoulder. It's ridiculous that she can feel so old after her time in New Mexico, but something like that makes her feel like a middle schooler again. Absolute nonsense. 

"I know you're more than capable, by the way," Derek says. "I think your dad believed I would provide 'adult supervision'." Derek's voice is dry and Kira can't help but laugh. 

"I mean, you and Allison would be the best bet for that, Stiles and I kinda tend to fly by the seat of our pants," Kira says.

"I think you underestimate Allison's wild streak, and wildly overestimate my ability to keep Stiles in line," Derek says. Kira laughs. Very fair point.

They stay out a little longer, until Kira's pleasantly warm and more than a little pruny. Derek gets out first, kissing her forehead as he climbs out. He dries himself off quickly before wrapping the towel around his waist and holding a hand out to Kira. She starts shivering almost immediately and Derek wraps her in a towel, hustling her inside quickly. 

Kira is very invested in finishing what she and Derek had started, but she also would love to rinse the hot tub water off, so she takes a shower in one of the bathrooms instead. She doesn't linger, not when she'd been soaking for so long earlier, but when she's out, Derek's hair is damp as he makes lunch, signalling he's already rinsed off. When Kira sits at the breakfast bar, he looks up, expression thoughtful.

"What's up?" she asks as Derek pushes a sandwich toward her. She wouldn't have thought she's hungry, but it is lunch time and she hasn't really been eating a lot.

"I was thinking," Derek says slowly, "that I might not know a lot about kitsunes, but my uncle does. I could ask him if he can send any information he has our way if you want."

"Peter?" Kira asks. "Is he, no offense, trustworthy?"

"Not at all," Derek says. "But his mind has healed a lot from the whole Kate brainwashing incident. And he likes you."

Kira shrugs. It feels wrong to be learning about her heritage from a werewolf, especially considering her mom's whole 'wolves and foxes don't get along' thing. She frowns to herself. Yeah, that's some bullshit. Her mom isn't willing to help her, Derek (and maybe Peter) is. Kistunes in the past that haven't liked werewolves don't mean a damn thing to her. 

"Yeah, please," Kira says. "Gotta learn somehow, right?"

Derek looks pleased, and Kira thinks it's because he likes helping. The puppy, honestly.

They move to the couch after lunch, trading lazy kisses and chatting until Stiles and Allison come back. Allison is a little sweaty, to be expected, but Stiles is drenched, walking on wobbly legs.

"Did you fall in the lake?" Derek asks.

"Ha ha smartass," Stiles grumbles. "I need the shower, going to die."

"Uh huh, right," Allison says, rolling her eyes. She stares pointedly at Kira's legs draped over Derek's lap, their hands twined together. "Looks like you guys had fun without us anyway."

Kira blushes a bit, but refuses to look ashamed. She isn't at all. 

"I talked to her about all of us," Derek says, trailing hot fingers over her calves. "She's interested."

Allison's gaze turns heated and Stiles' eyes widen, his lips twisting into a grin. 

"Awesome. We absolutely need to discuss this," Allison says, smiling. "But oh my god we need showers first."

Stiles whines as Allison pulls him to the bathroom, but as much as he apparently wants to stay with Kira and Derek, he knows he needs to clean up. Kira isn't hugging him all sweaty and gross. Kira stays with Derek on the couch, lying tangled with him until Allison and Stiles come back only ten minutes later. Allison is someone she can see as someone to power shower, but Stiles seems like he'd be lazy once he's under the water. Shows what she knows.

"As much I know Stiles' patience is at about zero, we should probably actually discuss this before the ravaging," Derek says pointedly as soon as Stiles opens his mouth. Stiles exaggeratedly pouts, but he doesn't actually argue the point. 

"Agreed," Allison says as Kira and Derek sit up. She feels like she shouldn't be vertical for this conversation. "Where do you want to start?"

"How would it work? Like...is it just sex sometimes? Are we all one big couple? Would you and Stiles together, and Derek and I together, and we...I don't know, all come together sometimes?" Kira asks and god, this is a weird discussion to have. 

"I don't need to see it as us being separate couples," Stiles says thoughtfully. "Allison and I are going to see each other a lot more than we see you or Derek just by virtue of being at the same college, but that doesn't mean that what I have with her would be any less important than you or Derek."

"You haven't said that before," Derek says quietly.

Stiles looks surprised and a bit alarmed at that. "I haven't? Oh my god, Derek, have we been treating you like a bootycall?!"

"No," Derek says, rolling his eyes. "It just isn't something we've really discussed."

"Okay, well, consider this all cards on the table. I am sexually and romantically attracted to you, you big, goofy, sexy wolf. And you, you badass, adorable, marshmallow kitsune. And you, my deadly and feisty hunting goddess," Stiles says.

Kira laughs, some of the tension melting out of her. This is fine. This is just them. Derek's blushing, which is just too cute, ugh. 

"I am sexually and romantically attracted to Stiles," Allison says. Stiles fist pumps in victory, making Allison roll her eyes. "I am also romantically and sexually attracted to you and you." Allison makes sure to look at each of them when she says it, like she doesn't want them to have any doubts. 

"I'm interested in building something with the three of you," Derek says. "I don't care that it's unconventional. Between a hunter, a kitsune, a magic user, and a werewolf, a little polyamory is the least strange thing about us."

They look at Kira, Stiles looking apprehensive, Allison encouraging, and Derek calm, like he doesn't want to push her into anything. Surprisingly, she isn't nervous. They've all put themselves out there already, they want her and she doesn't feel as ridiculous about her attraction to them. She grins, and she's been smiling a lot since she came back to them. 

"I've never done anything like this, obviously," Kira says. "But I really want to. With you."

"Okay, we did the adult talking thing, I need to kiss you now. Can I kiss you now?" Stiles asks.

Kira grins. "Yeah, you can kiss me."

Stiles is next to her on the couch in a flash, though he's not rushed when he cradles her cheek in his hand, searching her face for any hesitation. There isn't any and she leans in, kissing him softly. Stiles is just as enthusiastic as she thought he'd be, though he's controlled and skilled, not messy at all, and it's the second time today she feels like she's being kissed to within an inch of her life. 

Next to them, Allison crawls into Derek's lap, grinding down against him while they watch Kira and Stiles intently. Derek's hand slips between Allison's thighs, rubbing her through her shorts. Kira groans when she sees it, pulling back from the kiss to take a breath. Stiles doesn't pause, pressing kisses along her jawline, latching his mouth to her throat. She lets out a breathy little moan she hadn't known she was capable of making, heat gathering between her thighs.

Kira hasn't had sex since before New Mexico (she's noticed she does that, divides her life into a before and after), hasn't even had the drive to really touch herself, but her libido is waking up now.

"We don't have to do this right now if you don't want to," Stiles says, pulling back so he can look at her. "We're not trying to push you into anything when you just got back."

"I really don't need the kid gloves," Kira says. "I want to. I'll tell you if there's something I don't want."

They take her at her word and move from the couch to the master bedroom. There's a California king bed that actually has enough room for the four of them there, which is great because Kira wasn't sure how logistics were going to work. Allison and Kira end up on their backs, Derek between Allison's thighs and Stiles between Kira's. 

"They love doing this," Allison says as Derek draws her panties down her thighs. She's already tossed her shirt and bra to the side and Kira has a hard time deciding where to look, at Allison's bare body, Derek's shirtlessness, or the way Stiles is looking up at her hungrily from between her legs. 

"We do," Stiles says, pulling Kira's pants and panties down. She can't find it in herself to been self-conscious, not with how he's looking at her like he wants to devour her.

She's already wet when Stiles licks up her slit, making her gasp. Allison moans next to her and when she looks over she sees her thighs resting on Derek's shoulders, his mouth buried between her legs. Allison wraps her hand around Kira's gripping tightly. They're close enough that Kira can lean over and kiss her and god, kissing Allison is like seeing the face of god.

Stiles isn't idle for long, slipping two fingers inside her aching cunt. She cries out, arching her back off the bed. He crooks them inside her, finding her g-spot in seconds, his tongue flicking over her clit. He takes his time exploring her, finding out what makes her moan, what the best way to make her cry out is, what makes her clench around him with a gasp.

Her orgasm crashes over her quicker than she thought possible, pulsing through her in waves. The pleasure radiating through her is so sweet, like she's discovering it for the first time. Stiles works her through it, not stopping until she's pushing him away, bordering on it being too much. Derek's still between Allison's legs, her moans loud and long. 

"I would love to fuck you right now," Stiles says, tracing patterns in the slick mess smeared on her inner thighs. "But we need a run into town for condoms first. We went through a lot imagining you with us."

Allison nods fervently, gasping out, "We did, god, we wanted you so badly."

Kira groans and yanks Stiles up by the wrist. "Switch with me," she says, making him lie down next to Allison. He lets out a strangled sound when she wraps her lips around his cock. 

"Fuck," he groans, resting his hand in her hair but not pushing her down. "God, you're good at that."

A fierce little burst of pride rolls through her. She can make him make those noises, someone who regularly sleeps with people like Derek and Allison. She wants more. She sucks him down, wrapping her hand around the part of his shaft that doesn't fit in her mouth. Stiles is babbling, telling her how good this feels, telling Derek and Allison her mouth is as good as they imagined it would be. 

Stiles warns her that he's about to come, but she doesn't stop, taking him deeper until he's coming down her throat with a groan. As soon as she pulls off his cock, he's tugging her up, wrapping her up in his arms while they both catch their breath, watching as Derek brings Allison apart. When she comes, shrieking and trembling, Derek stands, stretching his neck. 

Stiles gently rolls Kira to Allison and goes to Derek, dropping to his knees in front of him. Kira watches, tangled with Allison as Stiles blows Derek, enthusiastic and judging by the sounds Derek's making, very talented. Kira believes it. 

They all collapse into a sated pile of limbs, touching each other as much as they can. Kira doesn't sleep in her room that night, her and Derek joining Stiles and Allison in the master bedroom. She falls asleep with Derek wrapped around her back, his body between hers and the door, Allison cuddled close on her other side. Stiles' arm is resting over her and Allison from where he's plastered against her back. It's gonna get really warm soon but Kira's enjoying it, a different kind of warmth that she's fine with.

As easy as it would be to spend all day in bed, they actually do run to town the next day. They're running low on food, especially adding Derek's metabolism to the mix. Stiles buys the biggest box of condoms they have with an exaggerated wink. The cashier looks at all of them, obviously trying to figure out who's with who with all the casual touching they're doing. 

They do spend a good portion of the day in bed when they get back, but they also get up and do other things. Allison trims Kira's hair, Stiles gives her a breakdown of the pros and cons of each high school completion program he found for her while Derek massages the tension from Stiles' shoulders. It's domestic and adorable and she loves it.

The light snow has been picking up so they stock up on enough supplies to feed and clothe an army, just in case. Derek could easily make it to town if the roads are closed, but they'd rather be prepared. The snow and ice and cold here are as different from the harsh heat of the desert as possible, and she goes outside every morning to feel the chilly air bite at her skin, reminding her that she's free of that place.

She bumps into Derek meditating one morning, sitting on the porch overlooking the snowy woods below. She tries to slink out, not wanting to interrupt, but he invites her to join him. She grabs a jacket and does, lets him walk her through what he does, how he communes with his wolf. It helps her more than she had thought it would. 

The nightmares still come, but it's easier to fall back to sleep with there is always someone in bed with her, someone she knows to her bones is safe. They all share casual touches and soft kisses, slotting her into their lives as easy as breathing, like she always has been there. She almost cries when she asks Stiles and Allison about when they go back to college and they tell her they've taken the semester off. They'll be here for Christmas so she doesn't have to choose between spending it alone or with her parents.

Kira's never been a small town person, always preferring a big city with lots of noise and things to do around her, but she can see the appeal here. They've been here for over a month, the locals all recognizing them by now. She's digging into the information Peter had emailed about ktisunes, working on her diploma, and doing what Derek calls some serious healing. He'd set her up with video chat appointments with a therapist in the supernatural community and it's helping. 

She's not knitting back together to the person she was before, wouldn't want to even if she could. She's building to be someone stronger. And Derek, Stiles, and Allison are there for every failure and victory.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on [ tumblr ](http://www.hotpinklizard.tumblr.com).


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